Naga reconciliation process stalled

Kohima: NSCN (I-M)’s hostilities against NSCN (K) in Eastern Myanmar last month has struck a blow to the process of reconciliation among the splintered Naga groups. The two signatories of the Covenant of Reconciliation on Thursday claimed that they would not take part at the highest level meeting if hostilities against them by the NSCN (I-M) were not stopped.

Close on the heels of NSCN (I-M) chairman Issac Chishi Swu's reiteration for his group's desire for the highest level meet with top leaders of other groups, NSCN (K) and NNC/FGN asserted that such a summit was not possible until "military offensive and territorial expansion mission" in Eastern Nagaland (Naga inhabited areas of Myanmar) are called off by NSCN (I-M).

Two groups of NSCN and NNC/FGN had signed the Covenant of Re-conciliation (CoR) in June 2009 in Thailand at the initiative of Forum for Naga Re-conciliation (FNR) and as part of the on-going peace and re-conciliation process, the FNR was trying to arrange a highest level meeting among top leaders of the three signatories for which Chishi has arrived in Nagaland.

In a joint statement here, the two signatories said that while the proposed highest level summit was supposed to be the most awaited event and perhaps the most decisive one, the NSCN (I-M) cadres led by a commander launched an offensive against NSCN (K) in Eastern Myanmar last month.

Claiming that NSCN (K) and NNC/FGN top leadership were making all necessary arrangements to facilitate their respective chiefs', S S Khaplang and S Singnya’s safe arrival for the proposed summit, the date for which was yet to be fixed, the statement regretted to inform the Naga public that that they would not be participating in the highest level meeting till the NSCN (IM) stopped its offensive.

"It is their (Khaplang and Singnya) appeal that the highest level summit be deferred until military offensive and territorial expansion missions are called off by NSCN (IM)," the joint statement said.